|
|
|
|
|
|
to bring disaster upon himself by the appointment of a man like John Gray. He understood his master, understood that he must be curbed if he was not to drive the country into rebellion and chaos. John Gray would be nothing, a tool to bend the Church to the king's will. Without the hope that the Church would mediate fairly, the barons would be driven into despair. They would feel that there was no place they could turn to have justice and that the only solution to their troubles was to rid themselves of the king entirely. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Peter des Roches was no holy man of God; he was too intent upon the affairs of every day. Nonetheless, he was sufficiently a priest to regard his obligations seriously. He had known Ian a long time, had been his confessor years before at John's court when John was only Richard's heir. When Ian had written to him, shortly after Simon died, and described his desires and his fears regarding a marriage with Alinor, Peter had considered the matter seriously, including the king's probable disapproval. Still, he had decided it was best that Ian marry the woman. Thus, he had a sense of obligation regarding the marriage he had forwarded. He had informed Ian late in January of mild feelers, which he had done his best to discourage, about an annulment. Now that an Archbishop of Canterbury, who could grant an annulment, was appointed, he felt Ian should be kept abreast of affairs. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Truthfully, Ian was not much concerned that John would try to annul his marriage. He suspected things had got beyond that stage in John's mind. Nonetheless, he was glad of Winchester's news. John might accept the fait accompliIan knew the Pope had baited the lure well with a rich gift of four magnificent rings and other precious jewels set in gold. In that case, there would be a period when all the king's attention was given to testing and coming to terms with his new archbishop. Or John might defy the Pope, and his rage would be directed to winning a far more serious contest than one |
|
|
|
|
|